This invention relates to telescoping drawer slide hardware that couples a drawer to a cabinet, and particularly to a lock release mechanism for use with a drawer slide assembly. More particularly, this invention relates to a telescoping drawer slide assembly having a lock mechanism for locking an intermediate slide member to the slide member mounted on a cabinet and means for unlocking the locking mechanism automatically in response to outward movement of the slide member attached to the drawer as the drawer is withdrawn from the cabinet.
Typically, a telescoping slide assembly is mounted in a cabinet to support a drawer or chassis for movement between a retracted position inside the cabinet and an extended position projecting outside of the cabinet. In most instances, a telescoping slide assembly includes at least three slide members. The first slide member is a stationary unit fixed to a cabinet and the second slide member is an intermediate unit extensible within limits from the stationary unit. The third slide member is extensible within limits from the intermediate unit and is the unit to which a drawer or electronic chassis is actually attached.
It is known to provide locking interconnections between each of the three slide members so that extension or retraction of the slide members relative to each other can be prevented. This allows drawers to be extended outward from the cabinet and locked to maintain a desired extended position. However, since these locking interconnections must generally be manually engaged and disengaged, separate manual unlocking actions are required before such drawers can be extended.
One object of the present invention is to provide a telescoping slide assembly having means that is actuated in response to outward movement of a drawer slide member to break automatically a locking connection between an intermediate slide member and a cabinet slide member so that outward movement of the drawer acts to break the locking connection automatically.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a telescoping assembly having lock release means for unlocking a locking mechanism blocking relative movement of the intermediate slide member and cabinet slide member in response to outward movement of the drawer slide member.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a lock release member that slides between the intermediate slide member and the drawer slide member as the drawer slide member is extended outward from the cabinet to break a locked connection between the intermediate slide member and a cabinet slide member in response to outward extension of the drawer slide member so that the intermediate slide member is free to move relative to the fixed cabinet slide member.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a telescoping slide assembly having a drawer slide member that is slidable on a bearing support capable of breaking a locking connection between an intermediate slide member and a cabinet slide member, with the bearing support having ball bearings held in a ball bearing assembly attached to an intermediate slide member of the slide assembly so that the drawer slide member can be easily extended outward from the intermediate slide member while the ball bearings are retained in the intermediate slide member.
According to the present invention, a telescoping slide assembly is provided for supporting a movable drawer in a cabinet. The slide assembly includes a stationary cabinet slide member for mounting on the cabinet, a drawer slide member for carrying the drawer, and an intermediate slide member interconnecting the cabinet and drawer slide members. A locking mechanism is provided to form a locking connection between the intermediate slide member and the cabinet slide member. The locking mechanism is operable to block relative movement of the intermediate slide member and the cabinet slide member. A lock release member coupled to the drawer slide member is also provided to break the locking connection between the intermediate slide member and the cabinet slide member established by the locking mechanism in response to movement of the drawer slide member.
In preferred embodiments, the intermediate slide member includes a support bracket slidably connected to the cabinet slide member and an outer section fixed to the support bracket for movement therewith. The outer section is formed to include channel means for receiving the drawer slide member therein.
The lock release member is retained in the channel means of the intermediate slide member for slidably supporting the drawer slide member in the channel means. The lock release member is slidable relative to the outer section of the intermediate slide member from a starting position located near the cabinet to an end position located away from the cabinet. The lock release member includes a bearing race assembly includes a plurality of ball bearings that are arranged to engaged both the outer section and the drawer slide member. These ball bearings roll freely in the channel means formed in the outer section as the drawer slide member is extended and retracted with respect to the outer section.
In operation, the drawer slide member is moved outwardly from the cabinet by a person opening the drawer attached to the drawer slide member. The lock release member, situated in the channel of the intermediate slide to slidably support the drawer slide, moves outward from its starting position as the drawer slide is extended outwardly from the cabinet. At a predetermined point between its starting position and its end position, the lock release member engages a lock mechanism to break a locking connection between the intermediate slide member and the cabinet slide member, allowing the previously locked intermediate slide member to move relative to the cabinet slide member and extend outward from the cabinet.
One feature of the present invention is provision of a lock release mechanism that operates to break a locking interconnection between an intermediate slide member and a cabinet slide member in response to movement of the drawer slide member outward from a cabinet as the drawer is pulled outward. Advantageously, this feature enables one to automatically break the locking interconnection between the intermediate slide member and the cabinet slide member simply by pulling a drawer outward from a cabinet.
Another feature of the present invention is provision of a lock release member that slidably engages both an intermediate slide member and a drawer slide member to establish connection of the drawer slide member to a telescoping slide assembly mounted in a cabinet and further acts to break a locked connection between the intermediate slide member and a cabinet slide member. Advantageously, the lock release member in accordance with the present invention is easily incorporated into a channel defined by the intermediate slide member, and can act to break a locked connection between the intermediate slide member and a cabinet slide member.
Yet another feature of the present invention is the provision of a bearing support retained in the channel means of the intermediate slide member for slidably supporting a drawer slide member in the channel in a manner that permits removal of the drawer slide member from its connection to the telescoping slide assembly. Advantageously, the drawer slide member can be removed from sliding engagement with the outer section of the intermediate slide assembly without removing the support from the channel defined in the intermediate slide member. It has been observed that the bearing support can become contaminated with debris or particles that impede smooth sliding motion if the support is removed from the intermediate slide member upon disconnection of the drawer slide member from the rest of a telescoping slide assembly. Further, it is oftentimes difficult to install a drawer slide member on an intermediate slide member if ball bearings are carried by the drawer slide member as is known in the prior art.
Additional objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.